It is truly spectacular the way that every educational organization in the world has continued to innovate and adapt during COVID-19. Columbia Public Schools in Missouri, USA demonstrated that they are at the cutting edge of embracing change when they opted for a full day of professional development delivered virtually.
Thirty three science teachers from across the district participated in the three part workshop which focused on integrating two of the most popular tools from Compass Education Toolkit; the Sustainability Compass and the Systems Iceberg. The full day of activities culminates with the opportunity for educators to design their own lesson plans, get feedback from their peers and get ready to implement them at their schools.
This was an incredibly engaged and inspired group and we are so excited to see what they do in the classroom. We even got early word that a few jumped in and implemented the tools the very next day! A huge shoutout to Mike Szydlowski who championed this work and who is a champion himself in the Columbia district, recently named Conservation Educator of the Year by the Conservation Federation of Missouri.
Nicole Swedlow
Nicole Swedlow is the Executive Director of Compass Education, a global non-profit supporting education for sustainability through training in systems thinking practices. Nicole supported the team at the American School of Puerto Vallarta to develop their sustainability and service outreach initiatives. The school was awarded the Tie-Care, Tri-Association Award for Global Leadership in recognition of this work. As a consultant, she is passionate about helping schools and businesses integrate sustainable principles with a strategic, inclusive and conscious approach. Nicole’s work in nonprofit leadership and sustainability as Director of the nonprofit organization Entreamigos, has been recognized by the United Nations, as a finalist for the Global Equator Initiative, as a breakout speaker for the World Economic Forum, and by the Dalai Lama, as a 2014 Unsung Hero of Compassion. Nicole has a Masters Degree in Education and Global Change from the University of British Columbia.
